Gentex Corporation: Gentex Corporation Receives Supplier Award From Toyota

ZEELAND, MI--(Marketwire - April 2, 2009) - Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: [ GNTX ]), the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry, was recently recognized by Toyota as one of only five companies to win an "Excellent Award" in the "Technology" category for its SmartBeam® product that launched on the Toyota Venza. Gentex received the award at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.'s (TEMA) Annual Supplier Business Meeting (ABM). Technology Excellent Awards were presented to suppliers who exceeded Toyota's expectations in this important category.

The awards were recently presented at Toyota's 13th ABM at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, bringing together approximately 500 of Toyota's North American suppliers. In the U.S., there are approximately 63,000 supplier jobs in 38 states that are dedicated to Toyota, and Toyota collectively spent nearly $30 billion on parts, goods and services last year in North America. The ABM is an opportunity for Toyota and its suppliers to communicate objectives for the current year, enhance relationships and recognize top suppliers who exceeded the company's expectations in the following areas: Quality, Value Improvement, Supplier Diversity, Technology and Launch Performance.

"Toyota values the contribution of our 500 North American suppliers," said Tetsuo Agata, president of TEMA. "We are grateful for their continued support during these difficult economic times. Our future success here is directly linked to the success of our suppliers."

Gentex was recognized for its SmartBeam® technology (Toyota refers to SmartBeam as "Automatic High Beam"). SmartBeam uses a miniature camera-on-a-chip combined with algorithmic decision making to automatically turn a vehicle's high beams on and off according to surrounding traffic conditions. The system is designed to maximize a vehicle's forward lighting to improve driving safety and to eliminate the repetitive and sometimes burdensome task of turning the high beams on and off.

"Toyota currently utilizes SmartBeam on two vehicles in its lineup and we believe this award signifies their awareness of the added value that our technology offers to consumers," stated Enoch Jen, Gentex Senior Vice President. "We anticipate that SmartBeam will be added to future Toyota vehicles."

Founded in 1974, Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: [ GNTX ]) is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, the Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. Many of the mirrors are sold with advanced electronic features, and more than 96 percent of the Company's revenues are derived from the sale of auto-dimming mirrors to nearly every major automaker in the world.

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